This paleo vegetarian recipe for chili is a hearty, meatless meal that pleases everyone! The unique blend of spices pulls out the flavors from the sweet potato and squash so beautifully!
This Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili is Paleo and Whole30 friendly!
This paleo chili is a unicorn recipe. By that I mean it’ll satisfy most dietary preferences AND it’s delicious! I spent a lot of years tailoring recipes to paleo/Whole30 styles and accommodating food allergies. I’ve also written two paleo-focused cookbooks. It’s a fun challenge for me!
Paleo Chili Recipe ingredients
- Avocado or coconut oil
- Red onion
- Green bell pepper
- Red bell pepper
- Sweet potato
- Butternut squash
- Garlic cloves
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Cayenne pepper
- Cocoa powder
- Cinnamon
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Diced tomatoes
- Vegetable broth
- Fresh cilantro
How to make Vegetarian Chili with Sweet Potatoes
- In a 4 to 6 quart Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the oil to medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and bell peppers to the pot, and cook, stirring, until the onions become translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, except the cilantro, and stir. Cover and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.
- Stir in the cilantro. Taste, and add more salt, if needed.
Whole30 Chili Recipe variations
Spice level - Add more chili powder and cayenne pepper for a spicier dish.
Vegetables - This is full of veggies already, but feel free to add your favorites such as eggplant, zucchini, or squash.
Meat - This could be a vegetarian base that can easily be added to. Try adding ground beef or turkey. Or sprinkling crispy bacon ontop just before serving.
How to serve Whole30 Chili
Ladle into bowls and throw a poached egg on top, if you feel so inclined.
How to store leftover Paleo Chili
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Whole30 Vegetarian Recipes
Thai Green Curry Zoodles with Broccoli -- This is a copycat version of the dish found at Noodles & Co! Just omit the shrimp and add more broccoli to make it compliant.
Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Mushroom & Garlic Sauce -- Perhaps the most hearty meatless (and Whole30 compliant) meal you'll eat. It's warm and cozy, but won't make you feel like taking a nap afterward.
Paleo Asian Chopped Salad -- Another copycat (I love copycat recipes!) of the Taylor Farms Asian Salad Kit found at Costco, but I cleaned up the dressing.
Crispy Oven Sweet Potato Hash Browns -- Definitely the BEST way to cook shredded sweet potatoes.
Syrian Salad with Za'atar Vinaigrette -- This salad has SO much flavor. It's the best punch in the face you'll ever get from a salad.
Kale Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash & Apples -- This is my favorite fall salad. Hands down. And it's hearty enough to stand alone as a meal! Just omit the sweetener in the dressing to make it compliant or replace it with a little Date Paste or fruit juice.
Southwest Cabbage Slaw -- Eat this with everything. All of your random leftover bowls. All of your eggs. All of your salads. You'll love it.
Azteca Squash Soup -- I love the southwest flavors in this! Just use vegetarian broth and omit the chorizo to make it vegan.
Simple Roasted Tomato Soup -- When your garden starts exploding with tomatoes this summer, grab a few pounds and make this soup. It freezes well, too!
Roasted Potato Salad with Dill-Scallion Vinaigrette -- This isn't your regular mayo-laden potato salad. (Although some of those can be pretty fantastic, too.) It's lighter, with a spring-like vinaigrette made from fresh dill and scallions.
And a few of my favorite vegetarian or vegan Whole30 necessities are Everything Bagel Seasoning, Dill Pesto & Date Paste (for when you need a dab of honey to tone down a vinaigrette).
I noticed another vegetarian chili-type soup you'll love -- check out the Enchilada Chowder over at Vegetarian Mama!
Speaking of chili. Or, rather, non-vegetarian chilis. I wrote 10 (yes TEN) chili recipes for my cookbooks. There are four in The Big Book of Paleo Pressure Cooking and six in The Big Book of Paleo Slow Cooking. If you don't have those books yet, click over and grab one!
If you make one of my recipes, be sure to post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!
Paleo Chili Recipe FAQs
Arrowroot powder is a great option to thicken sauces, chilis and curries since it is paleo and vegan.
Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili
This paleo vegetarian recipe for chili is a hearty, meatless meal that pleases everyone! The unique blend of spices pulls out the flavors from the sweet potato and squash so beautifully!
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons avocado or coconut oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
- 2 ½-3 cups of butternut squash, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 small squash)
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped, or 1 heaping tablespoon of minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I only used ¼ teaspoon because I have little ones)
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ground sea salt and black pepper
- 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, including the liquid
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Poached or fried eggs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a 4 to 6 quart Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the oil to medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and bell peppers to the pot, and cook, stirring, until the onions become translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients (except the cilantro and eggs) and stir. Cover and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.
- Stir in the cilantro. Taste, and add more salt, if needed.
- Ladle into bowls and throw a poached egg on top if you feel so inclined.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1 ½ cupsAmount Per Serving Calories 218Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 31mgSodium 498mgCarbohydrates 43gFiber 13gSugar 12gProtein 6g
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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